Chapter 12: The Man in mask

The thick black mist at the main entrance began to thin, revealing a towering figure shrouded in darkness. From within the fog, an eerie blue glow pulsed, casting ominous shadows across the hall.

The golden flames of the magical braziers flickered violently. Then—

Without warning—

They went out, plunging the hall into darkness. For a fleeting moment, everything was silent.

Then, in a burst of unnatural energy, the flames reignited—but now they burned an unsettling, deep green. The entire hall was bathed in a sickly glow, and with each passing second, the magical radiation grew stronger.

"EVACUATE EVERYONE! NOW!"

The emperor's voice boomed across the room.

Ellios and Echelle immediately took their stances, gripping their weapons as they prepared for whatever lurked within the mist.

A long, gnarled arm emerged first, its decayed flesh hanging loosely from the bone. Then, the full figure stepped forward.

It was a Wendigo.

But—

But—

But..…

Something was wrong.

"No… No, no, no—this isn't just an ordinary monster!"

Ellios shouted, his voice filled with dread.

The creature was grotesque beyond imagination. Its body was shaped like a horse, yet its skeletal structure resembled that of a deer. Instead of hooves, it had human-like hands—twisted, elongated fingers scraping against the marble floor. Flesh clung to its frame in rotten, burned patches, revealing glimpses of exposed bone beneath.

And its head…

Too..

Too...

Horrifying to even look at.

A skull—worn like a mask—loomed over its monstrous form. But atop its antlers, impaled in perfect symmetry, hung a human torso, limp and lifeless. It had no jaw. Long, filthy fur draped over its body like tattered robes.

This was no ordinary Wendigo.

The evacuation continued—students, teachers, nobles, and even the royal family hurried out under heavy guard. Only the two princes, Ellios and Echelle, remained, standing firm with the royal guards.

Yet the monster did not move.

It simply stood there, scanning the room. Watching.

Strange.

Unnatural.

Then, just as the last person left, the Wendigo finally acted.

Its mouth opened wide—far wider than it should have been possible.

And it vomited.

Countless—

Countless—

COUNTLESS—

Human heads spilled onto the marble floor, rolling across the room in a horrific cascade.

Ellios gasped in shock.

Then—

Without a sound, every guard around the princes collapsed.

Their bodies still stood—but their heads were gone. Blood spurted from their necks like fountains, drenching the floor in crimson.

A shiver ran down both Ellios and Echelle's spines.

Slowly, they turned.

The creature was gone from the floor.

It was now crawling along the ceiling—like a spider.

Its soulless, glowing eyes bore into them, sending icy dread through their veins.

"E-Ellios… why can't we move?!"

Echelle stammered. Ellios blinked. He hadn't noticed it before, but his entire body was frozen in place. His gaze dropped to the floor—his feet were glowing green.

Realization hit him like a thunderbolt.

"Echelle!"

Ellios shouted.

"This isn't some random monster—this was a planned attack! This thing has been waiting for this moment!"

As if acknowledging Ellios' words, the Wendigo stopped.

Its skull twisted unnaturally, the bones cracking as its hollow sockets locked onto them.

Then—slowly—it began to smile.

The flames in the braziers surged higher, casting grotesque shadows across the walls.

With terrifying speed, the monster leaped from the ceiling—crashing down before the frozen princes.

Ellios reacted instantly, casting a barrier spell. Two shimmering spheres formed around them, shielding them from the creature's reach.

The Wendigo roared, its hostility spiking. It slammed its massive antlers into the barrier, again and again, shaking the entire hall.

Ellios gritted his teeth—the shield held, but the relentless attacks were obscuring their vision with splatters of dark, putrid blood.

And then—

CRACK!

The barrier shattered.

The monster lunged, its jagged teeth inches from Ellios' throat—

A flash of silver.

A single, precise slash.

The monster froze.

A thin, gleaming arc of light had cut straight through the center of its skull.

Step

Step

Step

Step...

From the entrance, a figure stepped forward.

Clad in complete black—black pants, black suit, black gloves, black shirt. A dark purple cloak concealed their hair. Their face was hidden behind a sleek black mask, devoid of any markings.

Without a word, they raised their right hand.

The blade that had struck the Wendigo came flying back into their grip.

In one swift motion, the stranger leaped—carving through the beast with a single, clean strike.

The Wendigo split apart, dark green blood erupting like a fountain.

The flames in the braziers flickered violently—then, all at once, they went out.

Darkness consumed the hall.

Only two things remained visible—the piercing glow of the masked figure's eyes, and the faint green light still binding Ellios and Echelle's feet.

Echelle clenched his fists, his teeth grinding in frustration.

Ellios, still kneeling, stared in shock.

"Who… is this?"

A cold wind howled through the empty hall....

And as it faded—so did the stranger...

Gone.

All that remained was a faint mark on the floor where they had stood. But in the darkness, it was impossible to discern what it meant.

Ellios collapsed onto his knees, breath ragged.

Echelle, furious, hurled his greatsword to the ground.

Then—

Footsteps echoed.

The emperor entered with an army of soldiers, weapons drawn, eyes scanning the darkness.

The emperor himself wielded a mighty great Excalibur, its legendary blade gleaming faintly.

"Prepare for battle!"

He ordered.But the hall was empty.

No monster.

No bodies.

Nothing remained—except for Ellios and Echelle.

The mage-soldiers raised their hands, casting spells to illuminate the room.

The light revealed only the aftermath.

Blood.

Scars on the walls.